What was/is theory's impact in a 'structurally nationalist' field of study?

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Many would argue that Scottish Literature largely avoided, and perhaps even= shirked, that process of radical critique - while pursuing an ambitious de=constructive project of its own, based on historical re-assessment of the v=ery 'framing' or incorporating discourse, English Literature, which would e=nforce the obligatory engagement with 'theory'.

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What, from this perspective, of the apparent universality of 'theory' itsel=f, and its function as a lingua franca in the cosmopolitan intellectual mar=ket? Is a provincialisation of critical theory necessary, especially in a =country attempting to reconstruct its 'native' intellectual bearings?

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What can we make of theory's evident impact on recent critical practice? Mi=chael Gardiner's 'From Trocchi to Trainspotting: Scottish Critical Theory S=ince 1960' stages a genealogy of 'Scottish literary thought' in high-theore=tical terms, while the fluency and discursive coherence of the 'Edinburgh C=ompanion to Contemporary Scottish Literature', edited by Berthold Schoene, =suggests critical theory is already something more than an 'available metho=d' or optional technique in Scottish literary studies.=20

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Should the seeming 'acceptance' of theory be mistrusted? - from within Scot=tish Literature as a paradigm which 'impl[ies] that it is only through the =ideas of Russian and American intellectuals that one can grasp the real nat=ure of the Scottish condition' (Cairns Craig); and from within Eng. Lit. as= yet another 'strategic effort to raise the profile of Scottish literary st=udies within the context of its institutional marginalization' (Liam Connel=l)?=20

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For the third issue of IJSL papers are invited on any aspect of the relatio=nship between Scottish literary studies and 'theory', both terms conceived =as widely as contributors might wish. Proposals should reach the journal ed=itors not later than 1st June 2007, with complete papers required by 1 Nove=mber.